There’s just a 48-hour stopover for DFFU’s factory trawler Berlin as it makes its last landing of the year in Tromsø, before heading for East Greenland.
Berlin has been busy in nothern waters, and this trip has seen it finish its cod quota in the Barents Sea, prior to which it was fishing for shrimp in the Loophole.
‘This trip went very well, and we finished our quota ahead of schedule. Our total catch was 1270 tonnes liveweight, almost all of it cod,’ said Stefán Viðar Thórisson, one of the two skippers who take turns in Berlin’s wheelhouse.
‘We were mainly fishing south of the Svalbard archipelago, and last week, east of Hopen island. We have seen significant quota reductions in cod in the Barents Sea for the past few years, by as much as 20%. Based on the volume of cod we encountered during this trip, particularly around Svalbard, I am hopeful that the stock has already bottomed out and has begun increasing again.’
He commented that the catch consists mainly of medium and large grades of cod, which are idea for frozen fillet production on board. With the exception of bones, everything coming out of the factory deck is utilised, with heads used for producing ensilage which is in demand among protein suppliers in a number of industry sectors.
After its 48- layover to discharge in Tromsø, Berlin is heading for East Greenland to fish for Greenland halibut.
